The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-04-28
WORKING GIRLS.
Something About their Life and their
Amusements-SmaN Savings of
Girls Who Work in stores.

Something About their Life and their
Amusements-SmaI Savings of
Girls Who Work in stores.
IT don't mind telling at all how we
live, or anything else you like" said
shop-girl to a writer in the Philadelphia
Press. You see there are 50 many
different kinds Of girls, and each store
seems to have its own kind. The most
of US here were public school girls who
had to do something to keep along and
who live at home. My father is car
penter and always did well, but we all,
five of u. and eYerv one girls, are in
stores. We live in a fiat and mother
keeps house, and we each pay So
week for board. and that makes every
thing very comfortable. We. and those
that live like Us, manage about so. l
get Sc a week and live near by, so
there are no car fares, and | am used
10 things, SO there are never any fines
hardly. But | don't save a cent out Of
the other So, for it takes if all for
clothes and little fun now and then.
There are girls that do. That pale one
over there gets the same. She and her
mother live in two rooms way over
near the river, one a dark one. The
mother has a machine and saves a little,
but i an invalid, and she has to man
a@e somehow. know they pinch and
cOnUive, but she always looks nice
That one with the big black eyes is an
orphan, and she and two others live in
one room and share the expense. They
pay 81 apiece a week for the room and
S. for board, and they manage some
now for washing, and car-fares, and
clothes on the other two dollars, but
don't ask me how they do it. Ask
them Herc's Maggie. She'll tell you
in minute
How we live? I've lived every
way. At home till mother died and we
all scattered, and then | boarded awhile
Tor IS a week and had a room Just big
enough for a bed and chair, and never
any fire. Then | dubbed. and there
was little stove and we had fire Sun
days, a scuttle Of coal for y cents, and
we nursed it along and made it last all
day. We boarded in the house, but
they started cheap restaurant down
the street, and its good, too. SO now
we have breakfast in the house, and
buy pie for lunch, a three-cent pie,
and 20 to the restaurant for hot sup
per. The washing is 30 cents a week.
1t costs US about 81 apiece, and we 90
without most everything SOS to have
something left for clothes. | tried a
home for awhile, but you're so bound
down with rules there's no comfort.
I'd rather club. That's the way with
most of US. We get more for our money
and have more fun"
You d need a little fun" said num-
Der one, If you'd ever been in our
place and worked from in the morn
ing to 6:30, and at the holidays often
up to 10 and II. That's only once a
year, though, but ten hours on your
feet IS no joke. and you must have a
change. There's always sewing to do.
Jerseys are a great thing, but, after
all, they are not stylish enough They
ike to have us stylish, and things are
50 cheap that il they wouldn't wear out
50 we could do very well. Shoes are
the worst, for it don't pay to buy any
for less than S2 Il pair. Shoes and Un-
derthings; they eat up the money if
YOU let them. but | don't. Mother
patches and darns and keeps us along"
How is it with those who must 90
it all for themselyes?'
20, lots of them get the cheapest
kinds Of things, 10-cent stockings, YOU
know, and throw them away when they
are worn out. But they shake and
shiyer when it comes cold. That girl
with curly head gets $3.50 a week
and pays 50 for her board, clubbing.
Shes fined good deal, too, for she's
uniGcky. She never has more'a 81
left for all the other things. Her
clothes cost her $50 last year. / know,
because we talked it over. / wouldn't
believe she could do it, but she did.
For six weeks she got s. a week, so
that for the year she earned $237. Now,
l can tell You Just how it went. She
paid Sl56 for her board, SIC for wash
inc, $50 for car fares, $l5 for fines,
and $50 for clothes. OF course, she
had some few things. hut | put down
what she had to buy, just because was
ashamed Of myself for spending $50
and not looking much better